Competency of hydrographic services

Abstract

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) is an intergovernmental consultative and technical organization that was established in 1921 to support safety of navigation and the protection of the marine environment. Standard S-5 was developed to cater for competence of hydrographic surveyors, tagged 'Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors' by FIG/IHO/ICA so that individual surveyors can be trained, assessed and qualified based on an internationally accepted program. Distinctions were made between academic/full recognition, as well as the survey techniques relating to GPS, multi-beam sonar systems and the ECDIS. The development of S-8, Standards of Competence for Nautical Cartographers was initiated in 2000 by FIG/IHO. The ICA was invited to join the committee in 2001 and based on the joint efforts by the FIG/IHO/ICA, the first edition of this standard, focusing on nautical charting cartography, was later published.